


The Call of the Sword

by idkbutimwriting



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Before the Calamity, How this boy find out he's the Hero yas, I thought about it before you do nintendo oh yeah, Kingdom of Hyrule, Master Sword, Prodigies, i am unable to summarize things sorry, link needs a nap, when everyone was still alive you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26704006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idkbutimwriting/pseuds/idkbutimwriting
Summary: Two weeks. It has been two weeks that this « voice » haunted him. At the beginning, Link did not pay much attention to it. He had the odd impression that somebody was calling him, like we sometimes think you hear our name in a crowd of strangers, before realizing that it was only a dream and went on our way without asking any more questions. However, instead of disappearing after a good night of sleep, his uneasiness had only grown...
Comments: 12
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [L'Appel de l'Epée](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24719125) by [idkbutimwriting](https://archiveofourown.org/users/idkbutimwriting/pseuds/idkbutimwriting). 



> Heyyyyyy, with the announcement of the new Zelda game (i'm sO excited right now guys) i thought it could be cool to finally translate one of my first Zelda fic as it tells how Link became the Hylian Prodigy by discovering the Master Sword (and i wanted to post it before Nintendo shows us the canon version...  
> so here we are !)

Two weeks. It has been two weeks that this « voice » haunted him. At the beginning, Link did not pay much attention to it. He had the odd impression that somebody was calling him, like we sometimes think you hear our name in a crowd of strangers, before realizing that it was only a dream and went on our way without asking any more questions. However, instead of disappearing after a good night of sleep, his uneasiness had only grown.

Days after days, he really thought that a voice was calling at him, resonating in his own head without his circle entourage seeming to notice anything unusual. He could not tell if it belonged to a man or a woman. The voice did not have any special tone since it spoke directly at his mind ; he felt more than he heard this stranger consciousness. Besides this one seemed determined not to be ignored any longer in this way : it was more and more difficult for the young man not to be let it take up all his attention.

The entity, whatever it was, wanted him to go somewhere. It had never expressed clearly, however, Link felt like an urgent need to leave the castle and to let himself be guided by the voice. The more the time passed, the more his discomfort increased. In order to fool the peculiar sensation, the knight did not give himself any rest and tried as much as possible to clear his spirit. If he already used to follow a really hard training, these last days he had doubled his efforts.

Since the dawn, his room-mates, who emerged just of the sleep, could see him leave the room to run in the rampart. He came back wet of sweat one hour later, just in time to take a frugal breakfast and to attend the meeting of the different section, before the beginning of their daily training.

At this moment of the day, every person with a normal constitution would have had faint, of course when you are a part of royal guard of one of the most powerful kingdom of the country you cannot be defined as an « average person ». Thus is behavior was not so strange for his comrade-in-arms. However, if he was able to be enough concentrated on the practical lessons to forget this odd voice, the lunchtime was a real ordeal.

Of a solitary nature, he could only count on a few mates to keep up a discussion that distracted him from his uneasiness; when he was alone he would try to be engrossed in the contemplation of the royal garden he could see through the wide picture window. Everything rather than paying attention to this awful feeling he felt growing in his chest and which threat to suffocate him.

 _I should not be there_ , he sometimes thought, when he let his attention slip. _I have to go... to find..._ He did not know himself exactly what he seemed to desire so badly. He just had the feeling that something -or someone judging by the singular voice that haunted him- was calling him. As though a chain was fixed in his stomach and linked him to this puzzling entity. Besides, it seemed to be more and more impatient and always pulled stronger on this link.

The end of the day followed the same pattern: he was lost in physical exercise and chafed at the bit. He was looking for every distraction he could find to pull away the voice of his spirit.

At the end of his « official » day, he would keep weapons training on his own. Lately he stayed even longer in the gymnasium to fence, destroying dummies in a useless attempt of keeping the voice away. He would never have dared to admit it however it scared him more than any monster he had ever encountered before. He knew what to do when he was facing them, he just had to brandish his sword, to be stronger than them, smarter, more agile to deliver the final blow. The fight was frank. It was a face-to-face during which he could think, judge, analyze this opponent. Whereas this voice...

It sunk in his mind, and he was tremendously powerless about it. It whispered unfamiliar thoughts :

 _Go,_ it commanded. _Absurd. Where I could go ? Searching what ? My place is at the castle,_ he thought furiously.

Yet it was futile, every day the voice was more insistent and more bewitching. He was absolutely charmed and this certain loss of his own body and mind terrified the soldier. His fencing skills were useless right now as he was unable to understand the nature of the entity. Furthermore leaving the castle for an unknown destination would be of course stupid and reckless. He was not so despaired yet to follow a strange voice which could lead him in a deadly trap, but we could easily understand why the man was so panicked.

This threat would end up driving him mad...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy, so it took me forever but i translated the second chapter. I will try to post a new one each week ! (and i am saying "tRyInG"...) >> EDIT: it's been a huge fail 
> 
> Anyway, hope you will enjoy the reading !

He put on with this situation for another week. If the first days were tiresome and the second week awful, the lastest days had turned into a nightmare. He was litteraly obsessed with the voice. It would drown his thoughts more efficiantly than a tsunami and would not let him any rest. He could not allow himself a second of distraction or daydreaming, otherwise he felt the threat of the voice hanging over him.

Until now, the simple thought of loosing control was enough to save him of succumb. He was so frightened by this idea that is was like a jump of ice water on his face, leaving him chilled to the bone and distraught yet wide awake. He ran on adrenalin and anger to keep his temper.

Always on the alert, the young man felt drive back. A part of him knew perfectly he could not go on like this much longer ; the tiredness would end up knock him down. However the soldier was unable to accept it, it was just unbearable. Thus he retreated into stubborn denial, training relentlessly. He had never shown this much of aggresivity and sturdiness when they were crossing swords. Being not involve in a real fight and therefore having no will to hurt their opponent, they all tended -more or less- to pace themselves. Nonetheless from Links's point of view every second was now a battle to keep control.

Of course, this sudden change in his behavior did not go unnoticed. Even though a majority of soldiers did not feel concerned unduly -Link had always been lonely and regarded as « weird » - however the few guards he shared his dormitory with were more worried about it. Yet, no one of those who might be called « acquaintance » dared to approach him, judging safer to keep out of the way.

They secretly hoped for commander-in-chief Bahkel to have this in hands. The only one who refused -or could not- ignore Link's obvious uneasiness was a young soldier named Darmus.

He was very impressed by him, although he was two years older than Link ; what with his endless devotion to the kingdom and his amazing skills as a fencer, he was kind of a rôle model for Darmus. Nonetheless, he was also quite intimidated by Link's harsh and secluded behavior. Thus, Darmus had almost never talk to him ; yet he could not help but gazed furtively at him when he could. He was sincerely puzzled by the tension that emanated from the young prodigy for the past few days and could not fail to notice the clenching of his jaw, the compulsive move of his fist -Link would not stop to open and close it- or the continuous twitch of his leg. " 

_"His condition is definitely not getting better..._ " he thought with a certain anxiety as they took their lunch break.

Indeed, it happened to be a really tough experience pour Link who was desperately trying to focus on his lunch. Unfortunately it did not constitute a great source of distraction and the young man had to work twice as hard to remove the bewitching voice that would not let him alone.

Each nerve of his being was tensed and yelled him for movement. He felt like suffocating while his thoughts mixed and clashed together, creating an absolute Capernaum in his exhausted mind. He beat furiously his foot against the marble ground, without concerning the loud sound he was making, which caught the eyes of the others soldiers. It was agony. Link felt like the string of a bow, too tight -it could break at any moment.

Suddenly he could not take it anymore.

Link stood up abruptly and crushed his fist on the wooden table, which cracked because of the choc. With his head resolutely bowed -ignoring the astounded look that weighed on him- and his breath took away, he remained motionless for a second.

A second suspended in time during which the silent reigned, in the mess as well as in the young man's mind. A unique second during which he could breathe freely, relived of the weight that hindered his chest.

Unfortunately it did not last and the voice came back to break the silent. Link shook out of his trance and desperately pushed back the table as though he was trying to chase away the entity.

A harsh shout escaped from his throat.

Would not that damn voice ever leave him in peace ? He walked away from the mess as quickly as he could and was heading for the drill hall. He did not even take the time to wipe the tears of rage that blurred his vision.

Full of despair, he did not remark Darmus who was standing in the corner of the door. Darmus, had hastened to follow Link after seeing his burst of rage. Although he could not explain the behavior of his companion, his distress had pierced his heart.

Darmus did not claim to be able to solve Link's problem however he felt the imperious need to help him. Now he was alone with him, he doubted a bit... The few seconds during which Darmus had observed him were enough to melt his self-confidence.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit late but here we are, chapter 3 !

He felt like he was looking at a wounded beast which had become crazy because of fear and pain. The way his sword pounced on the mannequins, with a wild and aggressive gesture instead of a certain and controlled one, was just frightening. When Link finally became aware of Darmus's presence and when he stared at him, the young man felt a shiver ran down his spine, suddenly ready to flee …

However, as he was looking into his blue gaze, he saw through Link's tears of rage something that looks like a call for help, a silent praying. Those feelings were so intense ; the soldier was shattered and immediately forgot this idea to run away. Summoning up his courage, he walked decidedly in the drill hall but, before he could open his mouth, Link spoke :

"I need your help" he simply said without ceasing to stare at soldier.

Saying it out loud was odd. He rarely had to pronounce those words. To do it now, as an adult and as a knight, was even more incongruous... however he had to face the facts : the voice was totally out of his control.

Admitting it was terrifying.

Besides, he was not really counting on Darmus to save him but simply to win a little bit of time, to delay the deadline a bit more. This behavior was not, indeed, a soldier's one -or even a sensible man's one- and he would not give much for his chances if general Bahkel was aware of this story. Nonetheless, if he had been able to think calmly and rationally he would not have any problem at all.

As for Darmus, he was somewhat destabilized. He had rather expected to be sent packing and now the young man was asking for his help ! Trying to erase the surprise from his face, he answered spontaneously, before changing his mind.

“And... what, what do you want me to do ?”

“You're pretty good at fencing, aren't you? I want to fight against you.”

 _Facing him in a duel? But why ?_ Darmus thought, both worried and incredulous, _and I could never stand more than a minute !_

Actually the soldier underestimated himself. Indeed, he was part of the best fencers of the royal guard and there was a reason Link had asked him this : he knew that Darmus was one of the few ones able to seriously confront him. This could offer a way to distract him enough and then regain to control of his mind.

Even if he was trying to make the right impression in front of his mate, in order to make up for his blunder in the refectory, the voice was stronger than ever. Link felt like his skull was beat up with strokes more violent than each other. The muffled beating was so tough that he had to summon up all his strength not to grimace.

His hand trembling, he reached out his weapon to Darmus who was still staring at him, indecisive.

“The dummies, you know, aren't very fierce opponent...” he resumed in a desperate attempt of humor who seemed to pull his companion out of his trance.

Darmus nodded his head and seized the sword. Despite Link's effort, Darmus could not help but noticed the intense tensing of the young man who was begging him silently. Thus, without asking more questions, he had taken the weapon. If Link feels like fighting, very well ! He would give his best shot.

For a brief a moment, the face of the prodigy lit up, in a silent thanks, before returning to his preoccupied look.

Link went to the table at the back of the room, on which laying the various weapons used during their training, and grabbed a new sword. He did not even test the blade and stood in front of Darmus.

All the apprehension was gone : they were ready for the fight. Link gave to his adversary a warning look before struck the first blow and began the fight.

Even though Darmus thought he was ready, he had been surprised by the rapidity of his opponent and the strength he used in his first attack. Hopefully he stepped back while remaining to keep his balance and blocked it without being disarmed. He responded straight away, determined to offer more than a few seconds of a pathetic fight.

They continued, exchanging blow, feint and parry.

As Link had anticipated, Darmus had a great technique and a lot of resources. Once the surprise of the first blow past, he had not allowed himself to be caught out and was now redoubling his aggressiveness and inventiveness in his attacks. However, he could help but remark that Link, on the contrary, was not as skillful as usual.

After his crisis of rage in which he had ripped open a great numbers of dummies, Darmus had expected to see the knight show all his technique. But no, actually it was quite the opposite : it seemed to him that Link had difficulties to wield his sword, as if this one was badly balanced. The young soldier had guessed right. Indeed, without being able to explain it, since a few days Link could not find a sword that suit him. Even his usual blade, especially forged for him when he had been admitted in the royal guard, seemed too coarse. Thus, he tried to make up his lack of capacity by being twice as spirited.

Nonetheless, even with a badly balanced weapon, the young man was still an extraordinary adversary whom you could not deny the talent. Unexpectedly, Darmus found truly pleasant to be drive into a corner.

This duel pushed him out of his comfort zone and gave him the opportunity to put a strain on his own capacities. As for Link, thanks to the biting referee of Darmus, succeeded to forget himself into the fight. His mind and body were finally on the same wavelength after all these days of torture.

Nothing else mattered but the present moment, the attack that his opponent would carry, his next move...

His whole being was focused on his duel, eclipsing the infernal voice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 ! (the last one before things get pretty serious...)
> 
> Enjoy your reading !

The duel carried on for several hours.

At 6 PM, while their army pals went out — covered with mud and sweat- of a physical training designed to test their knowledge on topography, the two men were still fighting. Even though they were also soaked in sweat, none of them seemed ready to put an end to their exchange, on the contrary, their blows were more and more vigorous, pushed by the adrenalin.

Intrigued by the crash of the swords that clattered, some onlooker began to gather at the training room, without either Darmus or Link paying the slightest attention to them, too focused on the movements of each other.

Murmurs -some surprised, some admiring- started to run through the soldiers but none of them were able to explain why the two men were fighting like this, not forgetting they had been both absent the whole afternoon. However, before they could exanchange some fantastic theories, the general of the guard, who had noticed the fledgling crowd in the corridor, heaved a disapproving grunt which gave the observers a start.

Those hastened to head for they respective dormitory whereas weighed on them the deprecating look of their superior. 

Once the corridor cleared, he had a look at the room, wondering what could have lead to such a gathering.

He was dumbfounded when he saw the scene that was playing in front of him. The two young men, unaware of the bustle they had created, were still unruffled, and they were still into their passionate duel.

About fifty, Bahkel was proud to be part of the most ancient soldiers of the royal guard of Hyrule ; his great experience of the battle field had earned him the rank of captain after the death oh his predecessor, however he rarely had the opportunity to see such fight.

The two soldiers were moving with assurance and agility and their exchange looked like a strange murderous ballet from which one could not take his eyes away. The captain would be hard put to say who had the advantage, as each one was so skilled, ingenious and ferocious in pushing the other into his entrenched.

When Darmus, who had moved slightly to the left in order to break through Link's guard, suddenly jumped to the right before forcefully thrusting his sword at his opponent, Bahkel recoiled unintentionally and raised one of his bushy eyebrow, persuaded that the blade would pierce Link's side. Yet this one had anticipated the feint and managed to avoid the stabbing in extremis by grabbing his sword with his two hands to stop the opponent's weapon before pushing it back with a powerful arm movement and attempting, in turn, to destabilize Darmus.

Following each one's eyes, they continued their game for several minutes under the astounded eyes of the imposing sergeant before he succeeded to turn back on this bewitching sight.

 _Why the hell those two are fighting ?_ He thought for himself, puzzled.

In normal circumstances he would have stopped such a farce immediately before one of them ended up hurt and then, he would have gave them a hard time like never before. Nonetheless, this fight was clearly not the consequence of an argument that would have turned badly.

Some teachers had already told him about the unjustified absence of the two young man - without him being able to find time to deal with it- and he found absurd to thing that they could be fighting since several hours for a mere disagreement.

What's more, there was no sign of anger in their eyes but an intense determination ; they did not let go of their look, completely immersed as they were in their duel. Even though they had been fighting for several hours now and were covered in sweat, neither was ready to put an end to their exchange, on the contrary, they redoubled their strength in each new assault.

Bahkel stayed in bit longer to observe them before breathing a deep sigh. What ever what happening here, he felt the odd intuition that he was a witness of something that did not concern him and that he could not interfere. Thus, he closed cautiously the door of the training room and walked toward his office, troubled and pensive, not being able to help but to think that he was acting against all his duties.

It was only when the clock struck on 10 PM that Darmus, exhausted despite the short breaks they had allowed themselves to take, dropped his sword and fell on his knees, short of breath, sweat irritating his eyes. In front of him, Link, as red and trembling as Darmus, was trying his best to stand. He walked unsteadily toward the wall on the back and leaned against it to catch his breath while holding the hilt of his sword tightly.

For a few minutes, the panting breath of the two young men rang out in the silence of the room. Link tried to move away from the wall yet, too weak to stand longer on his feet, he finally let himself slide down and, still refusing to part with his blade, put his forehead on his knees folded against his chest.

Darmus, who was lying directly on the floor, stood up with great difficulty on his elbows to take a look at his partner who was obviously in a state as pitiful as his own. Somehow he managed to throw in a joking tone :

“Well, I believe we both have enough for today ! I'm not even sure to be able to go back to the dormitory.”

He was going to let himself slide down on the floor when he saw in horror Link get up while shaking his head. Even though he was about as steady on his legs as an infant, the soldier seemed to want to continue the fight.

Darmus stood up as quickly as he could. He was going to protest when he saw the clock. Through the large windows, slightly blurred by the mist that had settled on them, he could observe the palace gardens, plunged into the dark. The night had falling over the kingdom of Hyrule.

 _Goddess,_ _how long have we been..._ Darmus thought.

Then, he shook his head, endeavoring to banish all the intrusive thoughts to focus on Link, who was still holding his weapon. He tried to make him see reason, it was absolutely absurd to continue this duel longer, neither of them would be able to keep fighting. However, the young man, whose his blond hairs had slipped out of his low ponytail and was now sticking to his face, simply shook his head to indicate his refusal.

“I mean... It's ridiculous! Listen, you can barely stand! What do you expect by acting like this? From the look of our tiredness, the only thing we could do is to hurt each other if we continue!”

Darmus suddenly felt the same sens of urgency than a few hours earlier, when he had followed the young man after his outburst of rage, obeying to the impetuous need to help him. Besides, he was afraid to see Link lose once again his calm. Indeed, in his eyes was shining an odd light, a bit frightening, that gave him a distant, blur look, almost mad...

For a second, Darmus believed that Link was about to swoop down on him and to strike his sword on his skull to force him to respond, or simply to evacuate the overabundance of tension he had been feeling for weeks.

Fortunately for the soldier, an instant later, Link became again the exhausted and trembling young man he was at that moment. He breathed deeply and went, with great difficulties it seemed, as his joints were so tensed, to lay the blade on the table, before giving his mate a look of apology for his behavior. This one, relieved to see Link come to his senses, smiled back to let him know that he was forgiven. Then they limped toward the showers.

Darmus took a moment to enjoy the hot water -well, the boiling water often claimed the one that passed after him- which relaxed his muscles tensed by the effort, before forcing himself to get out of the shower cubicle. If his body was still bruised, his mind was clearer.

He had to talk to the sergeant. Absolutely.

It was not a secret that the chief of the guard and Link's father used to be very close before the death of the latter. If this had never given any advantages to Link, Darmus knew that Bahkel had a special tender feeling for the son of his friend -at least as much as this mountain of muscles could fell any tenderness for whoever. He should have noticed too the peculiar behavior of the young man.

Well, in fact from now one nobody could deny that something was wrong about him yet the sergeant, if Darmus told him what he thought he read in Link's eyes, might try to talk to him.

Once he had taken his decision, the young man strode energetically toward the office of his leader.

 _Really, if somebody had told me I would be so determined one day..._ he thought bitterly.

As for Link, half groggy, was still in the shower, breathing the warm steam coming up from the shower. The forehead stuck against the wall, he barely felt the water flowed from his bent back to his hips and thighs, winding around his body that was so stiff, it became insensitive.

The tiredness he had accumulated because of his sleep deprivation and the intense physical effort he just gave, prevented him to have any coherent thought. His mind was like a vast, empty area, a nothingness as appealing as calming after those weeks he spent fighting against the voice. He was sinking in it, as if it was a warm, heavy and sticky muck.

It was only when he suddenly felt himself falling forward, his body completely relaxed while he was drowsing, that he regained some consciousness.

Shaking his head and rubbing his eyes in order to wake up, he got out of the shower, unsteady, and caught a towel to dry himself before putting on a coarse canvas pants. However, after a few minutes only, the wet and heavy atmosphere of the bathroom got beat his lucidity.

Struggling to keep his eyes open, he mechanically moved to his dormitory.

When he opened the door, the soldiers present became quiet and stared at him, worried as Link staggered to his bed, on which he almost fell and then, stopped. His flatmates exchanged puzzled looks and other shrugs. One of them eventually came closer of Link's motionless body.

“He's asleep...” he articulated softly to his friends, who sigh with relieved before leaving cautiously the room by mutual agreement — none of them wanted to incur the risk to wake up the young man and then having the face the consequences, in the look of his recent emotional instability.

Darmus, as for him, was standing in front of the door of Bahkel's office.

Half-opened, it let a thin line of light filter, indicating that the imposing soldier was still there.

The young man breathed deeply and gave three knocks on the solid oak door. The loud voice of the sergeant, that often frightened the first years, invited him in.

As he crossed the threshold, the veteran's eyes fell on him and his face became grave. Darmus did not let himself be intimidated and before the chief could reproach him his absence during the training, he started to told him about the strange behavior of Link.

At the end of the story, Darmus saw a worried spark light up the soldier's eyes. He always looked so self-confident and kept his emotions under control, seeing him in this state was disconcerting for Darmus. As Bahkel ran one hand over his shaven head, he sighed :

“I knew that something's wrong with this damn kid...”

He turned toward Darmus :

“And he didn't say anything to you? Even a vague explanation? He didn't tell you what was affect him?”

“No, he didn't... Really I don't know anything else. He just asked for a duel...”

At these words, Darmus flushed slightly and mumbled:

"Even if I know that this practice is forbidden, I ... It was an exceptional situation, it won't happen again of course! But ... I couldn't refuse."

Then he resumed, pensive:

"To tell the truth, I really felt like it was a matter of life and death ... He looked ... haunted. As if something was tormenting him and he's trying by every possible means to distract himself from it ... But I don't know more."

They both stayed quiet for a while, thinking about the consequences of this hypothesis. The sergeant finally started speaking again:

"Never mind, I'm gonna talk to him and worm information out of this greenhorn. It cannot go on like this!"

Walking surprisingly fast for a man of his built, Bahkel headed for the dormitory, Darmus following him closely. They came in front of the room, shared by Link and four other soldiers, and as Bahkel was stretched his arm to reach the handle, one of the aforesaid man, who was walking out of the shower, called them :

“Sergeant ! Hum... I think you shouldn't enter this room... I mean, you know that Link's been acting pretty unpredictable lately, and since he's sleeping, we thought we'd uh... leave him alone. At least this way he won't risk hitting the roof again... I mean, he will be calm.

Darmus and Bahkel exchanged a look. As long as he slept, rationally nothing could happen to Link and therefore it seemed cruel to arouse him from this refreshing sleep he absolutely need.

Darmus promised to his chief to look after him once he would wake up and try to learn more about his torments. Bahkel, for his part, reassured the young man by assuring him that the next day, at the first hour, he would “catch that young brat out the bed and have a little chat with him”. Darmus, who was dying to go to bed and whose mind was set at rest thanks to the promise of Bahkel, took leave of him to go to his own bedroom.

The sergeant, now alone with his thoughts, had a last worried look at the closed door, then went back to his office, mumbling that he would straighten out this mystery the next day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since the last update (sorry about that but real life -college- caught up me.....)  
> Anyway this chapter reach a quite flashpoint of the story, I hope you will like it !

Come to me... Wake up Link... Come to me, come to me, come to me... FIND ME, COME TO ME, _COME TO ME_

Link woke up abruptly.

Plunged a few seconds earlier in a deep sleep, now he opened suddenly his eyes while breathing with great difficulties. The voice that had haunted him for weeks and that he managed to muted, defeated by the tiredness stored up, had resumed his unbearable litany.

However, this time, Link was unable to resist.

In one second, his mind -comatose and weakened because of the sleep and the exhaustion- could not oppose his will against the awful temptation. He straightened. His look, which for days had been nervous and tormented, was now cold and confident. His gesture was not frantic or rough anymore but precise and mechanical. He seemed possessed. Each nerve of his being was now completely at the mercy of the entity.

Yielding, after days and days of desperate fights was almost liberating ; his broken mind finally enjoyed the peace.

Quickly, he put a traveling tunic, sturdy boots and a stuffed cape. He did not even bother to tie his hair back -which were pretty long despite the military tradition- or to take a sword.

Without a sound, he crossed the sleeping dormitory and went toward the stable. Even though it was the middle of the night, the guard that was making their turn of duty, were not especially surprised to see the young soldier to prepare his mount ; it was not uncommon for the army to send recruit to mission at unexpected times. Thus, when Link, perched on the back on his mare, appeared in front of the great door, the only way to enter and to leave the citadel, the guards let him pass without question.

They had barely crossed the heavy gate when Link spurred his mount into a gallop. Epona, who felt something odd in the mood on his horseman, neighed and made rear to express her worry but the young man controlled her with the touch of a master. Epona had to admit defeat and rushed through the plains of Hyrule.

The soldier did not know a thing about the place there were going ; he simply followed his instinct. The tension he felt in the pit of his stomach became stronger, as they went closer, as if the thing that called him gained in impatience and pulled more aggressively the strange chain that liked them.

He encouraged Epona to speed again. The latter, even though she was still suspicious, was aware of the emergency that led her horseman, thus she had become more obedient. They swallowed the kilometers for several hours.

The dawn begun to break on the horizon when Epona stopped abruptly.

Making a rear she almost threw Link who caught himself only just to bridle of the harness. He was completely obsessed with the voice that seemed closer than ever. He gave a gentle knock with his heel to oblige the animal to move but Epona refused categorically to walk another step.

The mare gave frightened looks around her and hopped up and down with anxiety. And quite rightly!

They had arrived at the edge of a grove called by the dwellers of the nearest village the Lost Woods. They told stories about it, murmuring that whoever penetrated it was condemned to wander for the end of time, made blind by the curls of smoke which escaped from the forest and were already lazily winded around the powerful legs of the mare. Feeling this contact, Epona shivered and stepped back swiftly. Insensible of the struggle of his companion, Link dismounted from the saddle and walked steadily toward the outskirts of the forest. Epona gave him a neigh of warning, but he did not give her a look.

Disappearing, swallowed by the icy mist, he let his mare alone.

The more Link roamed through the wood, the more the smoke was dense and opaque. Suddenly, it completely submerged him, precluding him to see even his hands. He thus evolved blindly for a few seconds and, as abruptly as the mist had imprisoned him, it dissipated, leaving him in front of torches that burned with a bright flame.

At the very moment the mist released him, the voice end also its influence on his mind. Link, completely confused, glanced around him in disbelief. He did not understand why he was here. As though, by giving in to the entity, he had lost control of his body and spirit to find it again only now as he was lost in the middle of the woods.

Excluding the torches, everything was shrouded in the smoke ; the trees, leafless, were like monsters that stretched out its long, dry, hooked hands. The silence was unreal ; he could not heart a bird song nor a scraping of a rodent on the ground. The mist smothered sounds and even stopped the sunlight to penetrated in the woods.

The atmosphere was both fantastic and oppressive. He shuddered as the frosty claws of fear churned up his chest. Mechanically, he put his hand on his belt to grasp his sword. Horror distorted his face when his fingers met nothing but emptiness. He was alone and helpless in this odd and threatening place.

Moreover, if he had so far been able to rely on the chain that linked him to the unknown entity to guide him, this one had now abandoned him ; or, more accurately, if he did not feel anymore the traction it was because the call that haunted him had now extended his influence to the whole forest. Rather than giving Link a clear direction, it produced a call from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

The young man had the confused feeling that he had to go deeper into the forest to find the origin of it, however he did not know exactly where to go.

 _Well, I cannot stay here indefinitely_ , he reasoned himself.

Indeed, in spit of the torches, the mist was already coming back to lick Link's boots, as though the woods were impatient to swallow him to keep him prisoner forever. He breathed deeply and tried to regain his composure. Walking closer to fire, he found a torch he hastened to light it thanks to the blaze. Then, as he was wondering which way to go, he caught sight of a faint red glow on his right.

Even though he was reluctant to leave the protection of the fire, he forced himself to walk toward the colorful spot.

Some tongues of smoke winded around his legs and chest, making him shiver, but they let him get to the source of the light. It was another torch. Looking carefully through the scrawny figures of the trees, he saw a new spot of trembling light.

Walking more confidently and still holding his torch, he moved toward the fourth fire. The merry-go-round continued for what seemed like hours and hours, tracing a path through the wood thanks to the successive fires.

He began to believe that it was just a vast joke of the forest which, as he thought he was moving forward, made him turn in circles, when he found the last torch.

As he was looking for the next one, he had to face the facts : there was no other glow to help him.

Anger and worry assailed him again. Will I ever be able to get out of that damn forest ? He thought with a nervous giggle. As he was looking desperately around him while cursing, Link suddenly noticed something. He had got used to the hypnotic swirling of the mist, animated by its own life, in spite of the complete absence of wind, thus he had not remarked that the fire from his torch seemed to also be bowed down under the weight of an imperceptible draft. He tried to turn the torch. The direction indicated by the flying embers did not change. It reminded him... a kind of compass.

Following a mad instinct -and running out of rational idea- he decided to follow the fire as if it was an arrow attracted by the North.

First, he was worried about venturing like this, without having any mark, yet he quickly understood that his instinct was right : even though he had moved away from the last torch, the smoke stood apart from him. This did not really make the whole thing less frightening, especially because moving just a little away from the path was enough for feeling the mist which hurry to curl up around him. He shivered while thinking about some foggy snakes with a poisonous bite that took back up along his legs to his neck.

Nevertheless, after wandering like this for a while -time seemed to be suspended in these woods, Link did not know if he had been walking for an hour or one hundred years- he noticed a light as he went into a huge empty trunk.

As he walked through the exit of the trunk, he felt a tiny tingling sensation in his chest. He stopped abruptly, choked by a sudden anxiety : he was about to discover the entity against which he had fought for days.

Link was certain of it : a few steps, and he would see the creature.

Apprehension had stopped his progression toward the glow yet the strength of the silent call he felt in the deepest part of him gave him the energy to go forward. As he came at the end of the tunnel, he was briefly dazzling by a sudden flow of warm light that contrasted with the obscurity of the Lost Woods.

When he finally managed to open his eyes, he remained a moment motionless in front of the landscape that was offered to him. In the heart of the forest grew a luxuriant, excessive nature, full of flowers and other plants he would have been unable to recognize. This unexpected profusion of life, sounds, colors and light prevented him from noticed it for a second However, as soon as he looked at it, he immediately knew : it was it that called him so forcefully.

As in a dream, he walked toward the sword that was stuck in a stone, right in front of him.

Every step moved him closer to the amazing powerful aura the weapon emitted. It invited him to come closer, calling for his hand. It was alike walking toward a pure source of light. Somehow he knew that it was a dangerous object, able to destroy the mind of anybody, crushing it with its huge power. Yet, he was convinced that the entity sleeping in the sword would not hurt him. More, he had the premonition that he had to grab it. Thus, when he reached level with the plateau of stone, shaped in triangle, in the center of which the sword had been driven in, he did not hesitate and grab the hilt of the weapon.

An incredible flow of energy went through his body, as if a flash of lighting had beat down on him. He cried out in a harsh voice while each his nerves seemed to explode with the awesome power that was pouring into his being.

The feeling stopped as quick as it arrived, yet it left him panting. Link stepped back and stumbled, still groggy because of what just happened to him before looking at the blade he was holding, astounded. This one had been forged with material he did not know. The hilt was deep blue and an amber stone adorned the end of it. The blade itself seemed to be as delicate as powerful, giving at the weapon lightness and handiness. It was perfectly balanced, resembling an extension of himself, forgot a long time ago but finally found again.

He contemplated with a mix of fascination and amazement the sword when a booming voice rang out :

“ We despaired of you coming Hero !”

Link shook off his lethargy and stepped back. Losing his balance, he almost fell on the ledge of the stone plateau. As he tried to stand up, he thought hearing a laugh.

Still on his guard, the young man looked around him for who had talked to him. As he scanned the thicket, he suddenly noticed from the corner of his eye a movement near the huge trunk in front of him.

What a shock it was for him when it managed a large smile at the moment it understood that the young man had seen him. The tree -since it was the tree that had spoken- had indeed a face that seemed to be carved in wood. Endowed with a drooping mouth, a flat nose and bushy eyebrows, this majestic plant that overhung the forest looked like an old wise man.

As Link remained gaped in front of this unexpected apparition, the tree spoke again in a deep, slow voice, but with some amusement:

“Well, well, well, calm down my boy ! I am the Great Deku Tree, protector of these woods and guardian of the Legendary Sword you are holding. Do not be afraid, you have been able to cross the limbo which surrounded the forest and -apparently- the Sword did not reduce you to dust, making you the new Hero, chosen by the Golden Goddesses !”

Even though he was astounded Link managed to mumble some words:

“I... I... The Hero but but how on earth... it's...”

“The Hero my boy, the one the Goddesses had chosen to protect Hyrule against the voracious forces of evil. You are the reincarnation of an age-old spirit, ready to lead an umpteenth fight against his old enemy... You are no doubt aware that the awaking of Ganon seemed to be imminent. A heartening shadow hovering over the kingdom and plunged it into fear."

Then Link glanced at the back of his left's hand, which was still holding the alleged legendary sword. For a tiny second, he saw a sign glowing on it : the symbol of Hyrule, the Triforce.

Strangely enough -if he could still speak of strange phenomenon with everything that had already happened- the triangle at the bottom right emitted a far brighter light than the two others. Yet he did not have time to wonder longer : as quickly as it appeared, the sign faded. It only left on the palm of the knight a lingering burning feeling. This unreal apparition shook off the young man.

His stupefaction was slowly erased while a strange certainty took hold of him ; a kind of recognition of himself. Without pride nor selfish joy, he understood lucidly that he had been chosen by those protective deities. He felt flowing through his veins the benediction of the Goddesses.

Ignoring his true nature until then, it revealed to him in all its splendor and terrifying immensity. When he looked up the Great Deku Tree, it could appreciate the fierce glow that shone in the eyes of the young man who had chosen to embrace his destiny. He knelt, holding with both hands the pommel of the sword, and solemnly said in a confident voice :

“If this is my duty, I swear to do everything in my power to protect Hyrule.”

He had already pronounced these words when he was dubbed as a knight. If he was already full of conviction at that time, today this speech took a different, much stronger meaning ; it symbolized the beginning of a new era which would decide whether chaos or peace would prevail.

By accepting his role, the young man was willing to carry the burden of the kingdom's future and he was aware of the immensity of the task that fell to him. For a second the whole forest became silent, as if to better appreciate the devotion of the knight who was offering his life. The earth held his breath while the Goddesses, temporarily leaving their heavens, bent over their champion, still kneeling, to manifest their presence and silent approval.

Then, life resumed in the same quiver that agitated all the wood.

At the moment only Link, who stood up, remarked the throng of little eyes that fixed him, hid in the bush. The next second, a throng of creature whose face was masked with a leaf rushed toward him. With their greenish skin streaked with brown, these woodland dwellers looked like young tree shoots with legs and arms.

Link has been taken by surprise by these sudden change in the atmosphere and did not know what kind of behavior he was supposed to adopt toward these strange creatures. So he has been quickly surrounded. The Great Deku Tree laughed softly :

“Don't be afrait Hero ! These incorrigible spoilsports are the children of these wood. There are called the Koroks, and they had been waiting for you for a while, you cannot reproach them for their enthusiasm !”

Indeed, around him, Link heard a concert of impressed chattering and other suppressed screams of admiration. The tree resumed :

“You must be exhausted after the latter events, you better go and rest for a few hours, then you can ask me the question that are troubling you.”

“Oh yes ! Follow us Mister the Hero ! We have prepared everything for your arrival ! Come and see!” one of the several Koroks pressed around Link exclaimed.

Somewhat amused by the endless joy of the small creatures, Link accepted to fall on behind them, not without looking at the Great Tree for the last time. If he had easily accepted his new status, he had indeed several questions that tormented him, and he would have liked to share it right away with the guardian. Yet he had hit the nail on the head by referring to the young man's tiredness; now the adrenalin had subsided, he was literally dead tired.

He followed the swarm of little being that waddled before him and led him to a bed made of leaves and moss, sheltered by a large hollow trunk, a few feet away from the pedestal where the sword used to be. A blue and gold scabbard was lying on the ground, presumably designed for the weapon of the Goddesses.

“Here ! A place where you can rest Mister the Hero ! We did it all by ourselves Mister the Hero !” a Korok whose face was masked behind a vivid red leaf proudly said.

Link could not help but be touched by their dedication and hastened to thank them for all their efforts. Worn-out, he put the sword through the scabbard and laid it beside him, then, he let himself fall on his makeshift bed -which was suprinsigly comfortable- and untied his boots while the Koroks left, after inquiring whether he liked the installation.

Lying on the moss, Link felt unexpectedly serene : for the first time in weeks he was at peace with himself. Regardless of his new burden and the obstacles that went hand in hand with it, he finally felt... whole and fortified by this conviction, he sank into a deep, restful sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO - it was really painful to translate but yeeeeah i eventually did it ! 
> 
> You can see that there are fewer chapters in the English version because I realized that they were reaaally short in the first organization, so it's indeed the last but on chapter (i honestly don't know why i explain this to you because you can clearly see it but anyway...)
> 
> Once again i hope you will enjoy your reading ! <3

He rubbed his eyes, bewildered. He could say, thanks to the soft light and the warm, wet atmosphere that enveloped him that he was absolutely not in the dormitory where he was used to sleeping. More strangely, he felt perfectly comfortable in the environment even though it was unfamiliar.

After a few minutes he managed to emerge and his mind suddenly leaped back to the events of the past day : he was — in all probability — the Hero of the legends that so many Hylian children had been brought up with, including him !

And now the heavy duty to protect the kingdom against the Calamity that would rise soon fell to him. What a joyful schedule !

However, although he should have been paralyzed by the immensity of his task, or at least scared, he felt... fine ? The softness of the mattress on which he was lying and the smell of the damp grass made him feel perfectly safe.

The feeling of being at peace with himself had not left him during the night ; the young man felt an intense relief at the thought of being _finally_ in harmony with his destiny. He accepted the latter, not out of fatalism, but with the firm will to carry it out. If the Goddesses had placed their hopes on his shoulders, he would sacrificed himself body and soul to handle their plans successfully, as he had sworn yesterday in front of the Great Deku Tree.

Boosted by these new convictions, he stood up... and found himself face to face with a tiny Korok whose features were hide behind an excessively large maple leaf. Link yelped in surprise. He made a sudden move backward as the little creature, still standing on the branch, bent his head to express his perplexity at the young man's reaction.

The latter was trying to get over his emotions, a little short of breath to have been so surprised — and above all quite embarrassed by his overreaction. His blood rushing to his cheeks, he greeted the Korok who hastened to return it with a great energy, to the height of ecstasy :

“Good morning Mister the Hero ! I hope Mister the Hero slept well ! At least he slept for a looong time !”

Amused by the childish excitement of the small being, Link half-smiled. Even though his sudden appearance caught him off-guard, he could not decently blame the Korok... nor the dozen other who were massing around the first one! Embarrassed, the young man ran a hand through his hair, trying to wriggle out of the big black eyes that stared at him. Eventually he put his tunic and boots that were still laying besides him.

As he just finished to put his clothes on, he heard an impressive rumble. Dumbfounded, he stayed motionless for an instant...

 _Was it... my stomach which made this sound ?_ He thought with dread.

The silence came around him : the Koroks, who, barely a second ago, were fussing over with loud noises, had now stopped. They turned to the young man who now had a scarlet-red complexion. The belly of the latter took this opportunity to manifest itself noisily once again.

After a second an awkward wavering during which Link was thinking about the most efficient way to disappear underground, the Koroks suddenly became agitated. They were all running in opposite directions and Link could hear their incomprehensible shouts and exclamations in the middle of the hubbub. Link was perplexed and looked at them, speechless, until all the little creatures had left the large recess in which the bunk had been set.

As he did not know what to think about this odd awakening, he simply chose to sit down, letting himself slide against the smooth wood, and to savor this relative intimacy he had so — at least until another absurd or humiliating event happened

He used it to admire more carefully his new companion. Indeed, after hearing her voice echoing in his mind for days, the young man could not deny that a certain form of consciousness inhabited the sword. Thus, he perceived it more like an entity than a mere object. Besides, its extraordinary looks was enough to differentiate it from the other weapons.

Sea-green laces were attached on its hilt to ensure a good grip for the handler by preventing his hand from slipping. The hilt itself was bigger and more finely wrought than normal ; on closer examination, Link realized that what he had first taken for a mere aesthetic whim of the goddesses -after all, they were supposed to be the creators of the weapon- was in fact a pair of wings, the blue metal drawing on either side of the blade into a curved figure raised to the sharp edge.

He had driven in the blade in the ground to get a better look at it. Thus, the young man realized that the hilt and pommel together designed the stylized shape of a bird. The gemstone in the center, which looked very much like a diamond-shaped amber, symbolized the head while the golden details just above depicted the claws.

First he was surprised by seemingly inexplicable presence of such a fowl on a divine weapon, but then he suddenly remembered an old tale his mother used to tell him, about their distant ancestors. The myth was somewhat sunk into oblivion because of the ravage of time but it was about people who lived in the sky and could fly, sat astride huge colorful birds. Was he supposed to understand through this ornament that this legend found its source in a semblance of truth ? This idea took Link's breath away ; he fancied for a second holding in his hands a sword several thousand years old, which may have belonged to a man who had lived in the clouds.

For a staggering second he thought he felt the weight of all the battles to which the sword had contributed, of hard-sntached victories as well as the bitter and bloody defeats. He felt on his hands the pressure of the other hands who had ever hold this hilt. Through this link, his predecessors entrusted their hopes, determination to him, but also their dread and wistful loneliness before their overwhelming destiny.

For the second time in a few hours, Link came out from his trance into which the sword had plunged him. Still trembling and struggling to assimilate all that he had felt — or thought he had felt — he stared at the sword he had dropped on the thick moss carpet. His look was full of respect and apprehension : if he still had any doubts about its power, as exhilarating as terrifying, he now was wise to it.

He carefully picked it up and slipped it into its scabbard before walking towards the exit of the hollow trunk which had sheltered him for the night. He was determined to speak more seriously with the Great Deku Tree of the trials that awaiting him.

As he left, somewhat dazed by the bright light that reigned in the woods, he was greeted by a gathering of Koroks. They were waiting proudly for him, each holding in their small arms all kinds of fruits, seeds and other edible plants. Under his eyes was a real feast, enough to feed a Hylian family for weeks. He froze for he did not know how to react to the seemingly limitless devotion of these little beings. Then, recovering quickly, he tried to give a faint smile.

“I... It's really nice of you to go to such trouble ! But... I, I... That too much, I could never eat all of this !”

As he got tangled up in apology, the Koroks lowered their food-filled arm one by one, looking sorry. Seeing the evident sorrow of the creatures Link blushed : he could not be so ungrateful ! With a sigh, he eventually asked :

“So... what about sharing ?”

In front of the enthusiastic exclamations of the small crowd, the young man laughed softly ; this surprise breakfast was certainly not part of his schedule as the new hero however he did not feel in the mood for saying no to such cheerful and friendly creatures. So, he set about lighting a fire on a corner of the land, taking care not to ignite the forest — after all the Goddesses would not have been very happy to see their hero playing arsonist.

Once he had done so, he encouraged the nearest Korok to come closer. The latter, as intrigued as he was happy, advanced towards the improvised fire. Link grabbed one of the fruit the creature was carrying and planted it on a branch before showing him how to hold it over the flames to lightly grill the plant. Delighted, the Korkos began to gather around the fire to glaze their finds.

A cheerful and unexpected meal followed, regulated with mischievous laughs and the pungent scent of embers mixed with the sweet smell of fruits. Besides, the young man was also, against all odds, really enjoying it.

The Koroks's carelessness was strangely contagious and Link had a premonition that once he had crossed the edge of the forest to return to the castle, he would no longer have the opportunity to laugh and rest like this. Even though time seemed meaningless here, the woods bathed in an eternal golden glow, it would soon regain its rights, announcing the imminent awakening of the Calamity.

At this idea, Link lost his smile and appetite. Suddenly, he looked grave and stood. Speechlessly, he walked towards the Great Deku Tree to announce him his impending departure and receive some advice -well, at least he hoped.

As they felt that it was no longer time for rejoicing, the little beings hastened to finish their meal before eagerly following the young man. Finally, the latter reached the base where the sword was resting a few hours ago. Then, the huge tree spoke with its heavy voice that shook the whole forest : “ You're finally awake Hero ! And I see that you've filled up too !”

Link, a bit embarrassed by the mocking remarks, was about to apologized yet the wise spirit launched onto his speech without letting him speak.

“ There is nothing to be ashamed of young Hero, the road you are about to take is strewn with dangers and leaves little room to rest. You need to enjoy the tiniest moment of respite if you want to stay the course” he said with a more serious tone.

The Great Deku Tree took a break during which he breathed deeply. As the two huge knots which marked the trunk narrowed, giving the impression that it closed its eyes, a great wind blew through the forest, living extension of the big tree. The leaves flew away and followed the invisible path of the air, wrapping themselves around the trees, the Koroks who uttered small shrieking of joy, and even Link before getting lost in the depths of the woods.

For a second, the bitter-sweet flavor of memories filled the atmosphere. A scent in which the salty perfume of sea, the comforting one of the coat of goat and the rich scent of undergrowth were blended in a strange harmony.

As a vivid, fresh draft caressed his face, Link thought he heard the squawk of an unknown bird, on which were superimposed the sound of swords crashing against one another, similar to those escaping from the castle's training room. Like his previous vision, Link had the impression of crossing the ages. He felt like the witness of some memories that had come back to haunt the old tree. The latter eventually opened its eyes and said in a gentle, almost parental tone :

“ In every case, I can say that, in spite of the time, the Hero will always keep his weakness for sweet thins and his heavy sleep !”

Before he could wonder about the link that seemed to exist between the successive Heroes, the young man suddenly realized that he had no idea what time it was. He hastened to question the Tree, who got back into his mocking attitude :

“The time ? Well, my young friend, know that you slept not less than fifteen hours in a row !”

“ Fi... Fifteen hours? But, I-I-” he choked.

Horrified, he tried to calculate the time that had elapsed since he had left the castle. But in vain.

“Fuck b-but how long have I been here ? I-I didn't think I'd been gone more than one day... how is it even possible ?”

As he got tangled up in his reasoning, he ran his hand through his hair — a gesture he often made to hide his embarrassment or to express his confusion.

“The limbo you had to cross to reach the forest belongs to a kingdom outside our world. They ensure the protection of this sanctuary and in their midst time deviates from its usual passage ; the latter expands while the vapours mist up the mind of travellers. Thus, they lose their bearings. Truly, you cannot estimate how much time you have spent searching for your way in this world, can you ?

Link anticipated the worst and just nodded his heard.

“You've been wandering aroud there for a whole day, if I rely on the hylian measure."

At these words, he became livid and thought gloomily : _A whole day... it means that I left about-_

“You left the royal castle about three days ago.” the Great Deku Tree finished, echoing the young man's reflections.

“I must return there right now. It is absolutely inadmissible for a knight to fail in this duty in this way” said the latter.

“I should have return as soon as the sword came into my possession. This absence is unspeakable.”

The more he talked, the more his face closed. Such a flogging certainly did not seem necessary and even exaggerated, yet the old tree perceived in the eyes of the young man that he thought every word of it. The situation really touched him.

“I will not keep you any longer don't worry. You will soon be back, ready to shoulder your new role, but, first of all, allow me to give you these advices.”

Although he was bursting to rush out of the woods to find his post again, Link agreed to listen to the venerable tree for he was aware how much its ancestral knowledge could be helpful.

“As the Hero, it is your destiny to fight against the dark powers that wears down Hyrule. According to the goodwill of the Goddesses, you own the Triforce of Courage. May it guide your arm in your battle against the darkness. However, do not forget that these can pervert not only the kingdom, but also the heart of those who live there. Your soul is pure and your heart is good ; always make sure to pass on this light that dwells in you. Each Calamity is different from its predecessor, smarter, crueler, more powerful... As far as I can remember, the only way to put an end to the reign of evil is to follow your heart. Only it knows the best way of going about victory."

The Great Deku Tree leaned his branches forward to inform the young man of the end of its speech and that the latter was free to get back on the road. Link moved his head to express his gratitude.

Then, he took leave of the old wise, after asking him, worried, if the crossing of the limbo would be as long as the first time. The tree assured him that the journey would be much shorter and looked the young man moved away from the glade, toward the mist that licked the roots of the trees on the edge of the woods. Just before he disappeared, the old tree gave him one last warning :

“Link ! Being the Hero doesn't mean that you have to carry the burden of your duty alone. Do not forget that you aren't alone.”

The young man, who had turn around when the tree had called him, gave him a look to express his acquiescence. However, the ancestral spirit that dwelt in the trunk guessed, under his mask of determination, the confusion of the knight. He obviously did not understand the full meaning of those words and how much they would haunt him in the months to come.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK-  
> I went through a pretty tough time and i am so sorry for the wait ! Translation is *not* one of my greatest strength and it requires TIME (a very rare thing) and ENERGY (an even rarer thing)   
> BUT i'm quite proud to announce that it's finally finished - what a relief really 
> 
> Even though I wrote this fic a long time ago, i enjoyed working on it a second time... aand I hope that you had a good time reading it !

The young man stepped into the fog. His walk was steady.

For a moment, he moved blindly, the mist forming an opaque veil that prevented him from distinguishing even his hands. Then, as suddenly as it had wrapped him, the fog withdrew and left him at the edge of the Lost Woods. His astonished look wandered around him. The knight was surprised to leave the forest so quickly after having walked for hours before reaching the heart of it. However, he forgot these questions immediately when he heard a piercing neigh. He raised his head in a vivid movement and saw with relief his mare waiting for him, exactly as the Great Deku Tree had assured him.

Right after joining her, he stroked her croup with affection, reassured to see that she was doing well. The animal's eyes stared at her young master. Her look was reflecting the relief she felt at seeing him return safe and sound while her nervous trampling and the way she blew in his face before turning her head made it clear that the mare would not forgive him so easily.

With a calm tone, he murmured that everything was alright and that they would come back home quickly. Then, he got himself back in the saddle and spurred his mount into a gallop, towards the castle.

During the whole ride he did not decelerate, thus, they arrived at daybreak in front of the freshly lowered drawbridge, the only way to enter the royal citadel. They barely slowed down while crossing the bridge and the young man did not pay attention to the exclamations of surprise or indignation their sudden arrival had aroused.

Of course, the guard in charge of controlling the traffic around the gate ordered him to stop. One of them even shouted his name in a stupefied air before running away probably to warn general Bahkel of Link's return.  _ Whatever, with Epona I will easily reach the castle before him,  _ he thought, detached

They crossed the whole market, zigzagging between the different stalls and shops, between the carts and the passers-by. Even though it was still early, the square was already busy, stopping the young man from progressing as quickly as he would have liked. Every moment increased the risk to see the royal guard fall on him, demanding excuses and explanations for his sudden disappearance two days earlier. He had to act as promptly as possible.

After a few minutes, he finally reached the western gate of the castle, where the stables were located, so that he could let his mare rest while he would ask for an audience with the king. Once again, he went through the doors without worrying about the agitation he was causing around him. He jumped on the ground before holding the reins of his mount to the first stableman he saw. He let the latter without further explanation, ignoring the confused expression on his face, doubtlessly caused by the resolute attitude and full of aplomb of the knight.

According to the incredulous look painted on the face of the commander-in-chief, who had chosen this unfortunate moment to check the work of the new stablemen, this poor boy was not the only one surprised. Obviously, the guard at the main gate did not have time to bring him the good news of Link's return.

Determined not to let himself be slowed down, Link continued on his way without stopping, in the vain hope of passing his superior without a hitch. Unfortunately, as expected, after this short moment of surprise, the huge man swooped down on him. His scarlet face revealed a mix of relief and deep discontent.

“Link !” he shouted once he had reached the knight's level, “Goddesses ! How on Earth-”

“I need to talk to the king” the impudent interrupted him unceremoniously.

“What ? What the hell is-”

“ An audience, a meeting, whatever, but I  _ need  _ to talk to him !” Link lost his temper and interrupted his interlocutor once again. Then, he seemed to notice the overwhelming confusion of the latter and the young man added with a softer but still firm voice :

“I will speak only to the king. Let me pass, please.”

Confronted with the steady face of the knight and the emergency that echoed in his voice, Bahkel felt his anger got weaker. I knew that Link would never act like this if the situation were not serious. His odd behavior, his brief disappearance... Really, something important had happened or was about to happen, something that was clearly beyond his power...

After another second of hesitation, the stout soldier surrendered and murmured :

“Well... the nobility is gathering in the throne room. The King will soon give them an audience. I'll see if he's willing to see you first...”

If Link was relieved to see that the commander was rallying to his cause, he showed no sign of it and simply nodded before following his superior to the famous hall.

The latter was richly decorated. Its walls were adorned with gilt and heavy red tapestry recounted the story of Hyrule. At this time of the day, the light of the rising sun crossed through the huge window and the room was imbued with a singular atmosphere, both solemn and timeless. About forty noblemen, all decked out in all their finery, were observing with curiosity the newcomers.

Bahkel left the young man alone in a corner of the room, the farthest one from the royal dais, before moving towards the throne where the king had just taken place. He whispered a few words to the latter, so as to be heard only by the monarch – to the great displeasure of the public who was eager for more details.

The king's eyes, deep and inscrutable, weighed on the young knight. The noblemen winked at the latter, their glances becoming more and more insistent as their curiosity grew. The gossips were flying around, and everyone was developing theories, all the more fantastic and scandalous, as to why the chief of the guard and one of his knights were invited to a royal audience, when the king suddenly spoke.

With a calm tone from which one could not perceive any particular emotion, he asked Link to come up to him and share his request. The latter, who had remained stonily indifferent in front of the chattering, stepped forward with determination. Yet, he kept his face slightly lowered, his eyes staring at the scarlet carpet rather than at the royal figure.

When he reached the dais, he knelt and, his eyes still facing the ground, announced with a slow and controlled voice :

“Majesty. May I introduced myself as the Hero chosen by the Goddesses.”

At these words, the room, one which silent had fallen when the king had begun to speak, then echoed with muffled screams, exclamations of surprise, contemptuous sighs and others sniggers before the sovereign silenced them with a wave of his hand. As for Bahkel, he froze and saw his old friend's son with new eyes. Well, this explained a lot...

Once silence had returned, the king turned his attention to the knight who had not moved, his forehead resolutely lowered to the ground. Since he had officially announced that he was looking for someone worthy to take on the role of the Hylian Champion and protect the kingdom from the threat of Ganon, two months earlier, he had met a great deal of charlatans and impostors. They all claimed having extraordinary strength, high-powered weapons and proclaimed themselves marked by the Goddesses. Many of them has gone so far as to call themselves the Chosen Hero which is cited in the ancient tales. A talented individual, steeped in the glow of mystery. Legend told that he was the possessor of a fragment of the Triforce, this sacred relic whose power had created the kingdom of Hyrule.

When the sovereign had declared that he was looking for someone able to portray the Prodigy's role, he had obviously thought of this legend : who else but the Hero to protect his people from malice ? Dark days threatened them, and in the face of this painful truth, the king had come to the conclusion that, if Ganon appeared to be on the verge of reappearing from nothingness, it was not a foolish hope to think that the Hero, as the alter ego of the Calamity, should in turn awaken.

And yet ! Days after days, weeks and crooks came and went all the same. For the old man, each day was now a mirror which reflected the absurdity of his hope and the vanity of his wishes... until the arrival of the young man, just in front of him.

Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule recognized him. He was the son of the former commander of his army ; a young recruit whose he had heard sing praises about. A true little prodigy... The irony of this nickname suddenly stuck the king who could not help but give a faint sad smile.

This young man, almost a child and barely older than his own daughter, he could be...

Being prey to numerous doubt and other questions, the sovereign decided to continue this audience like he had conducted all the others. He resumed, breaking the silence that reigned in the great hall.

“How do you intend to prove it ?”

One of the several flaws of his plan - and not the smallest... How to recognize the Hero ? And how to unmask the crooks ?

Actually, it was not that hard for the majority of the candidates. They were mostly clumsy noblemen who barely knew how to hold a sword, grasping and eager for fame. The latter would leave under the mocking gaze of the assembly, which was quite amused by their arrogance. For some others, smarter, the self-interested glow shining deep in their eyes, like a predator which lurks in wait for his prey, would betray them.

Yet, it had somehow happened that young people knelt in front of his throne, man or woman, used to fight or not, and would simply say wanting to protect Hyrule. Some of them seemed to be skillful swordsmen ; some of them were even soldiers of the royal guard. These encounters had deeply touched the old man, but the latter had not recognized in any of them the potential of the Hero.

How could he say such a thing ? Actually, he himself would have been hard put to justify it. It was a kind of intuition rather than the fruit of a constructed and sensible reflection ; like a voice telling him that these people, although they were brave and selfless, were not the one he was looking for.

His people had never questioned his decision, yet, the more the day went by, the more he felt exactly like the crooks he sent away. Truly, who was he to judge the heart of these men ?

Unaware of the king's torments, Link spoke in turn, after a short hesitation.

“Majesty, all I can give are my words and this sword.”

_ Here we are, the famous Master Sword _ , the king thought.

According to the ancient tales, the Goddesses had gifted their champion with an extraordinary weapon, a sword able to slay the darkest blackness. Of course, no one knew where such a treasure could come from, but this Skyward Sword, as it was sometime called, was essential to ensure the Chosen One's victory over the Calamity.

All the people that had ever presented themselves as the Hero's incarnation therefore, wore proudly a sword at their belts as proof. From the simple rusty blade to the masterpiece made with gold and diamonds, Bosphoramus had never been fooled by such a prop.

However, as the young knight uttered these words, it seemed to the sovereign that the world around him had changed, as though his perception had suddenly been able to grasp all the richness, all the nuances of colors, lights and scents... The impression faded as quickly as it had arrived, but it left the old man distraught.

The latter was not the only to be shaken. As his whole attention was focused on the mysterious knight, the king had not seen his daughter quivered at the same time. The Princess had indeed noticed this change, as blazing as it was furtive.

However, outside of her, time hung heavy on the courtiers' hands : everyone had already heard this play hundreds of times. Despite the annoyed murmurs that began to fill the room, the swordsman spoke again, raising his eyes to the sovereign for the first time :

“I will not try to tell you the fantastic story of how this sword became mine. Please, just acknowledge that this is not an ancestral legacy, nor a lucky find, never mind a reward for which I should have accomplished a great quest. Nor would I tell you where I found it. It was resting in a sacred place that is worth staying secret and could be dangerous if some people try to enter it.”

His tone became scathing, as though to challenge anyone to extract information out of him.

He was about to add something when he suddenly stopped. His bold and solemn bearing cracked, indicating a glimmer of real anxiety;

He breathed deeply and resumed, in a calmer voice, lowering his eyes again, as if to protect himself :

“ To tell the truth, I do not know how to convince you of my sincerity...”

The king, as well as his daughter, felt the frankness behind these words. They also perceived the growing despair. The fear of not being believed.

Then, an idea suddenly formed in the mind of the sovereign :

“May I touch the sword ?”

Link raised his head. He did not defy the gaze of the old man standing in front of him, but he did not avoid it anymore. He was staring at him, almost with astonishment, as if trying to seize up the king, to estimate his capacity. Without insolence or contempt but with … curiosity.

Without a word, he stood up. His gaze was now giving a silent warning. Deep down, the king knew that he was taking a great risk : if this weapon was really the Goddesses' one, he doubted that someone else than the Hero could hold it without suffering the consequences. Yet, he saw no other way to verify the young man's words. If the latter had told the truth, Bosphoramus could not imagine holding this sword and feeling … nothing.

It could be a deadly idea but the stakes were too high to let this chance pass.

Around them, the silence had returned. The king had never asked such a request to one of the candidates to the title of Champion, and the courtiers were now holding their breath, waiting for an answer.

All of a sudden, the young man drew his weapon to present its hilt to the king. Destabilized by Link's speed, the sovereign's guard reacted a few seconds late. They finally stepped in his direction, rapier drawn. The crowd also gave a concert of muffled cries and, as for the Princess, she let out a small exclamation of surprise. All were now staring at the sword with a mixture of fascination and apprehension.

In the middle of this agitation, Bosphoramus had not batting an eyelid, as well as the knight who remained unruffled, waiting for the king. If the latter felt any apprehension he did not show it and grasped the hilt of the sword with a firm grip.

At the very moment his calloused hand closed on it, the king froze as a tremendous current of energy went through him. All his senses had grown to their fullest capacity ; he could hear every murmur, every rustling of clothing. He could distinguish every scent, from the heady perfumes of the courtiers to the spicy fragrances coming from the kitchens, several floors below. The slightest element appeared to him with such a force that it became unbearable. It was like being immersed in a vat of pure light.

With short breath and beating heart, the sovereign dropped the sword almost immediately after receiving it. Yet, the experience was so intense that he came out as exhausted and stunned as he had lived a thousand lives. His right hand was burning – he wondered for a second if he had grabbed a glowing thistle instead of a sword. Another few seconds and the old man had no doubt that he would have gone mad, destroyed by its power ; his spirit would have been annihilated.

For a few interminable seconds, one could only hear the chopped breath of the king, who was doubled up with pain, both hands on his stomach, and the hysterical screams of his guards.

Then, the old man let out an uproarious laugh which broke the heavy atmosphere. Around him, the courtiers exchanged perplexed and vaguely suspicious glances : had the king gone mad ?

The latter paid no attention to the rumours that were beginning to circulate about his sanity, no he was far too relieved.

This blade, he thought, it has to be the Master Sword ! And this boy, able to bear this uninterrupted flow of light... he has to be the Hero !

All the worry, all the deception and the frustration that hab been weighing on the old man's shoulders for months suddenly left him. He had found his Champion ! Of course, this did not make the threat of Ganon's awakening any less frightening, but, for the time being, the news offered the king and his people what they needed the most : hope.

The Hylian people would not surrender without a fight.

Now, Bosphoramus believed wholeheartedly that, through Link, the Goddesses expressed their support for Hyrule against the Calamity.

Once he had got over his nervous laugh, the king wiped his eyes misty with tears and stood up. Vaguely aware of his not so princely behavior, he coughed to restore his constancy before speaking :

“Dear people of Hyrule !”

The few representatives of the latter were startled by the strangely cheerful tone of the sovereign, nevertheless, they listened, eager to learn more about the situation.

“The Goddesses have heard our prayers ! I, Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, ruler of the kingdom of Hyrule, recognized this young man as the Chosen Hero !”

Murmurs became a clamour. Cries of excitement, disbelief, protest or simply astonishment were mixed.

The commander-in-chief, who had remained unruffled throughout the speech, breathed deeply while half-smiled. Wouldn't that boy ever stop surprising him ?

Yet, even though he was relieved that the king did not accuse Link of imposture, Bahkel could not help himself but thought about the innumerable dangers that went with the title of Champion. Although the young man was not exactly  _ safe  _ when he already served as a knight, there was a whole world between defending the kingdom from a handful of monsters and facing the embodiment of evil itself.

Apprehension and melancholia mingled with pride in the heart of the imposing soldier when he saw his young recruit kneel before the sovereign after retrieving his sword.

With his unfathomable face, his self-confident gesture and hi remarkable martial skills, one could not decently describe him as a “poor boy”, however, Bahkel knew what trials he had already had to endure in spite of his young age... the old soldier could not help thinking that the Goddesses were quite cruel to dog on his fate...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd you know what happens next...
> 
> A huge thanks for all the people who took time to read and comment ! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading !
> 
> Btw English isn't my first langage so i apologize for the mistakes (i did my BeSt)


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